See No Evil
by LoveBackwards
Summary: There was the royalty, and there was even nobility in the Fire Nation Palace.  They didn't witness half the actions of the servants, though.
1. Chapter 1

Bai was only two years younger than him. Sure, she was less experienced, and maybe didn't have such a formal education, but she had general logic. Right now, with her head rested on the prince's bare chest, she listened to the beat of his heart. It was slowing down; he was probably drifting off to sleep. He ran his callused fingers through her scanty brown hair. Of course, she made sure to come to his chambers looking her finest, she knew that much.

He liked her in the best clothes she could find, something that would be slower coming off. He liked the feel of her thick curls, trying to weave through the knots with his fingers. He only liked that after they had made love, though.

Yes, Bai knew the simple things that made him happy. She had logic, she paid attention. It was because of this that Prince Sozin always asked her to accompany him. Sometimes, when he was daring, he'd approach her in secrecy for an unplanned moment. Either way, he was always with her. It couldn't be public, no, that would ruin his reputation. An Earth Kingdom servant and a royalty's whore? No, it simply wouldn't do in the Fire Nation's society.

"I love you…" He mumbled under his breath. He was still in a daze, so Bai did her best to hide her eagerness. Love? Had he finally returned her feelings? Her thin lips cracked a smile to show her white teeth as she looked up to him. He was smirking down, a bead of sweat trickling down the side of his forehead. He shifted his weight so he eye-level. His golden eyes – they were so warm. They always were for her. Even before they had started this lustful affair, he always had eyes for her. Eyes that noticed and saw her; eyes that saw through her.

"Do you mean it?" She whispered with a smile. A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as he gave a firm nod of confirmation. He was handsome, his loose brown hair and his loving smile. And his lips, they were so soft pressed against hers. He wrapped his muscular arms around her slender frame; he was so warm. So warm and strong, he was beautiful.

"Of course…I want to marry you, Bai. Just you." He whispered into her ear soothingly. She frowned. It couldn't work, as much as she wanted it to. At the same time, he was going to be Fire Lord soon, surely he could arrange it? She tried to deny the glint of hope in her tender heart.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

"I don't care you hurry up and get ready! You're already late!" The door swung shut as Daiyu walked out of the room. Her daughter, Bai, had been going on for weeks about the prince's promise to her. Of course, the young girl made sure only to tell her mother, but she had heard enough of it! In the end, Daiyu would be the one tending her daughter's shattered heart. Foolish girl, why would she buy into that?

Because she loved Sozin, right.

She let out an exasperated sigh and rolled her eyes as she walked down the vast corridor of the Fire Nation Palace. As she left the servant's quarts and entered the main hall, the appearance of the palace grew more elegant. Of course it did, they always took care of themselves. The selfish royalty of this nation.

Being a servant gave her low status, being an Earth Kingdom servant made it all the worse. The other woman, some girls, mocked the slaves of the beautiful Kingdom almost daily. Being as wise as she was, Daiyu ignored it; why not let the girls have their gossip? Surely it made them feel better about themselves. In the end, they were all bound to the same labor. The labor that, over the years, callused her hands so. The same labor that made her grey hairs sprout and her wrinkles deepen. Yes, Daiyu had been here for seventeen, and that was many a time ago. She knew this place like the back of her boney hand; she got the job done fast and right.

And despite the years she'd been forced to, the physical work she should have been used to doing, the metal water basin dug its handles deep into the palms of her hands. She tried to blow the strands of scanty hair that weren't long enough to be placed in a bun out of her face. The water weighed more; it seemed to grow heavier each day.

Yes, the Fire Lady was on her death bed and she requested Daiyu to bathe her daily. At first, she was sure it was because of her heritage, but the two older women seemed to bond through this. In a way, they were equal. Both were growing older, thinning rapidly as they did so, and both had come to accept this. They were getting weaker, simple things exhausted them. Daiyu remembered when she could hold two water basins, one under each arm, and carry them across the entire palace. That was when she was young; thank Agni all she had to do now was go down two halls. The difference between the two women? The Fire Lady got to rest in her old age.

Daiyu cracked the door and glanced inside. Sure enough, there was the woman (who was actually two years younger) resting on the bed of crimson satin sheets. She smiled tenderly, pulling her thinning hair out of its tight knot and easing herself up. The unknown sickness was taking a lot out of her.

"Daiyu, you're late." Shino chastised as she eased the Fire Lady to sitting position. Daiyu let her brows furrow. She could deal with plenty of the Fire Nation servants, but this one looked for trouble, particularly with Bai. She was only a couple years older, too.

"I thought you had duties in the washroom. The robes aren't going to wash themselves." She snapped back, easing the basin to the bedside. It felt good on her sore muscles to let it go; this was probably the highlight of the day ahead of her.

"I noticed you sleeping in and rather than disturb your much-needed rest figured I would at least check on the woman you're supposed to tend to at sunrise. It's the least I could do." She shrugged innocently.

"Yeah? If I was asleep then you should have waken me. Don't give me that bullshit that you care you useless whore!" She went on as she dipped the rag in the lukewarm water, glaring daggers at the stunned girl before her. Shino looked to the Fire Lady, then back to Daiyu in slight disbelief. She was waiting for Daiyu to get scolded, maybe even physically punished.

"Now, now, that is enough. You, girl, go wash my husband's robe. I wish to speak to Daiyu alone." She waved her hand. Shino arched a brow, opening her mouth to protest but went against it. She paced out of the room and slammed the door behind her. "Oh, the youth of today. They are so disrespectful it worries me." The tender old woman sighed as Daiyu stripped her.

"Aye, I know." She wanted to talk to her about Bai. About Bai and Sozin, about how troubled she was. Surely the Fire Lady, Sozin's own mother, could do something about it? She knew it was possible, but at the same time she didn't want to make the affair public. What if it outraged the sick woman? What if it displeased her so deeply she'd banish Daiyu and Bai? What if she slipped to the Fire Lord? That'd be a far uglier sight.

"I wanted to know…if you would stay in here with me." The Fire Lady whispered and Daiyu stopped running the damp cloth over her back to try and get a glimpse of her face. "I can't deny that I'll be dying soon…and my husband no longer sleeps in my chambers." That does strike a small nerve, though the Fire Lord had been very blatant with his mistresses around the palace. All the while, his wife was practically bedridden. "I don't want to die in this room alone, where nobody will know. You…you are such a good person. I know what your living conditions are like, very primitive. You can stay here, and it will make your task of checking on me easier and you will get the room right through that doorway."

"Your offer is very generous…but…" Her voice trailed off. Technically, Bai could be on her own if she wished, but that didn't give her any sense of security.

"Your daughter can come, too." She smiled, as though reading Daiyu's mind. The lower-class woman smiled in thanks, and through unspoken words, the arrangement was confirmed.

Maybe this would keep her daughter from Sozin, after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Taro gave a quick smile as he handed the older woman the treys she would be serving to the royalty of the palace. He was one of the few male cooks, though the Fire Lord insisted he made meals worth the title of running the kitchen. He wiped ivory strands of hair from his forehead with his arm; breakfast was done so he had a few hours to cool down and wash up.

"Taro!" Shino almost ran into him. Her face was as excited as that of a five-year-old, and he knew that could only mean something bad was happening. Regardless, he wrapped his arms tight around her before pulling away. She tensed and patted his back. He was sweaty from work and knew that always disgusted her. She took tasks that required less work, but he wouldn't dare call her lazy.

"What is it?" He watched her golden eyes shift to the sound of his voice. Taro courteously opened the door for her and she smiled in thanks, walking into the hallway with her. The sad part was he knew Shino didn't really care for him, but at the same time he was the only person who put up with her. He was the closest thing she had to a friend, and for some reason he wanted more than that.

"Well, I heard some of the nobles speaking with the Fire Lord today…" She was whispering now, perching over his shoulder. He arched a brow curiously; servants may hear things they shouldn't but they were never to speak about them. She always found a way to bend the rules. "And this week a noble is bringing his daughter here, to meet Prince Sozin!" He gave her a look to hint she was speaking too loud. She bit her bottom lip with a smile and he sighed, returning it.

"Why's that excite you so much?" He stopped outside her chambers, knowing she wouldn't want to walk to the men's hallway.

"It can lead to so many changes…Sozin is already kinder than the Fire Lord and Lady…and once he marries he's soon to take the throne soon." It was the dazed glint in her eyes that caused him to frown. This all went back to her hope of Sozin noticing her; particularly the way he noticed Bai. She claimed she was too good for all this work and labor, how one day she wanted to be on top of it all. Despite her malicious nature about it all, he admired her ability to hold onto such hopeful thoughts. Wishful thinking for a servant who only arrived a few years ago; he wondered if it would start to deteriorate as time went on.

"You shouldn't get your hopes up so much, Sozin will stay loyal to his Nation but I'm not sure he'd go along with an arranged marriage. It's a new time, y'know?" Ha gave her a knowing look that twisted her frown into a smile. "Walk with me?"

"Where?" She arched a brow with a faint smirk.

"The garden." He held his arm to her and she hesitated before taking it, walking outside with him.

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><p>Daiyu made a 'hmph' sound as she turned the corner as the youth exited. Arranged marriage? It was only so long before Bai found out. How would it affect her? Terribly. She knew she would have to deal with her daughter's heartache but it was certainly a lot sooner than she'd expected, and with Shino already opening her mouth it was only so long.<p>

She would admit that the pair did share a peculiar bond, Shino and Taro. She would also admit that Taro was far too genuine and good-natured to be attracted to such deceptive beauty. Shino was a fair girl with glistening golden eyes and silky black hair. That was where her beauty ended. She was rotten inside, filled with jealousy and lust and lies. He was going to get his heart broken, too. Only his case would be unrequited love, right? At least she wouldn't have to deal with his tears.

"Ma!" Bai called from the room. Daiyu lightly rolled her eyes before entering. "Look…" She whispered, gesturing for her mother to shut the door behind her. Daiyu peered over the velvet box in awe. A gold necklace with the Fire Nation emblem. It was beautiful. Beautiful and real. How she wanted to rain on her daughter's parade and tell her he didn't love her. How she wanted to say he was marrying a noble's daughter, that they could take the necklace and leave. It was worth so much…so much money, they could have their own house away from the palace with middle-class work.

It was the look in Bai's eyes that changed her mind. She was so innocently excited. Daiyu brushed the scanty strands of graying brown curls out of her face and smiled warmly to her daughter.


End file.
